Brinjal Tomato masala

Ingredients:

1. Small brinjal - 10-12
2. Onion sliced - 1.5 cups
3. Tomato chopped - 1.5 cups
4. Sesame, toasted - 2 tbs
5. Fennel seeds/ perunjeerakam - 1/2 tsp
6. Coriander powder - 1.5 tsp
7. Chilli powder - 1 tsp
8. Green chilli - 3
9. Shallots/ chuvannulli - 1 cup
10. Ginger, chopped - 1 tsp
11. Garlic , chopped - 1 tsp
12. Oil - 2 tbs
13. Sugar - 1 tsp
14. Turmeric powder - 1/2tsp
15. Salt to taste
16. Mustard seeds - 1/2 tsp
17. Curry leaves - few

Method:

1. Cut slits in brinjal without cutting through the ends
2. In a blender, coarsely blend 4 to 11
3. Heat oil in a pan
4. Add mustard seeds to it 
5. When mustard seeds splutter, add curry leaves to it
6. Sauté onion sliced in the hot oil until translucent 
7. Add turmeric powder and tomatoes and sauté again
8. Add blended spice mixture and brinjals to it and mix well
9. Close the pan with a lid and cook in medium high flame for 5-8 minutes 
10. Open the lid and add 2 cups water, sugar and salt in it
11. Cook with closed lid for about 15-20 minutes until brinjal is cooked well and water is almost dried. Stir 1 or 2 times in between
12. Once the brinjal masala has reached the consistency you like, switch off the flame 

Serve this masala with Biryani or Rotis. 

Spicy Brinjal Dal Curry

Ingredients

• 2 medium sized brinjal


• 1/2 cup toovar dal


• 1 medium sized onion


• 1 tomato


• 1 tbs chopped ginger


• 1 tbs chopped garlic


• 1 tsp jeera


• 1 tsp chilli powder


• 1/4 tsp turmeric powder


• 2 tsp coriander powder


• 2 tbs oil


• 2 tbs coriander leaves chopped


• 1 cardamon


• 2 cloves


• a pinch of cinnamon powder


• 1 cup chicken stock/1/2 chicken cube/small chicken pieces


• salt to taste

Procedure

• Cook dal very well


• In a kadai heat the oil and add jeera to it.


• Add chopped onion,sliced brinjal, ginger and garlic and saute them well till brinjal turns to transparent color.


• Add turmeric powder, chilli powder, coriander powder, cinnamon,clove and cardamon and saute for few more minutes.


• Add chopped tomato and saute for 2 more minutes and add chicken stock / cube/ chicken pieces.


• If chicken cubes is being added, add 1 cup of water also.


• Add salt to taste.


• Once the chicken pieces are cooked well and everything is blended properly, add cooked dal to the same and boil for some more time.


• When the curry reaches the required consistency, add the chopped coriander leaves and take off the kadai from heat.

Note: If chicken cubes are being added, check the salt before adding as the cubes are already salty.

Spicy brinjal dal curry is ready to be served with chapathi, ghee rice or biriyani.:)